Picture-in-picture repositioning and/or resizing based on video content analysis

• US 7,206,029 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Cohen-Solal, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke; Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US09/738,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 348/561, 348564-566, 348/569, 348/460, 348/468, 348/473, 348/474, 345/635, 345705-715, 345790-801, 345/788, 345/719, 345/768, 382/181, 382/282, 382/286, 382/100
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A video display device, such as a television, having a picture-in-picture (PIP) display and a processor. The processor detects cues, such as color/texture/events/behaviors, etc., present in a primary display image, that is overlaid by the PIP. These cues are utilized by the processor to determine important and relatively unimportant portions of the primary display image. The processor then determines whether a change in a display characteristic of the PIP leads to the PIP obscuring less of an important portion of the primary display image, and if so, the processor changes the display characteristic of the PIP. Display characteristics of the PIP that may be changed by the processor include the PIP position, size, and transparency. The processor may also utilize a combination of the detected cues to determine important and relatively unimportant portions of the primary display image. The processor may also change combinations of display characteristics of the PIP.

Claims

1. A video display device comprising:

a display configured to display a primary image and a picture-in-picture image (PIP) overlaying the primary image; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display and configured to receive a first video data stream for the primary image, to receive a second video data stream for the PIP, and to change a PIP display characteristic in response to at least one characteristic present in the primary image,

wherein the PIP display characteristic is at least one of a position of the PIP on the display, a display size of the PIP, and a transparency of the PIP;

said processor being configured to determine that the at least one characteristic is present in the primary image, the characteristic being at least one of a continuous color portion and a continuous texture portion.

2. The video display device of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to position the PIP on at least one of the continuous color portion and the continuous texture portion after determination of the presence of the characteristic present in the primary image.

3. The video display device of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to position the PIP so as to minimize overlaying of the PIP with respect to a person image on the at least one frame after determination of the presence of the characteristic present in the primary image.

4. The video display device of claim 1, wherein processor is configured to analyze at least one frame of the first video data stream and determine whether there is a person image present in the at least one frame and at least one of a continuous color portion and a continuous texture portion as the characteristic present in the primary image.

5. The video display device of claim 1, wherein processor is configured to analyze at least one frame of the first video data stream and determine a behavior present on the at least one frame as the characteristic present in the primary image.

6. The video display device of claim 1, wherein the PIP display characteristic is a position of the PIP, and wherein the processor is configured to reposition the PIP to minimize overlaying a portion of the primary image when the characteristic is present in the primary image.

7. The video display device of claim 1, wherein the PIP display characteristic is a size of the PIP, and wherein the processor is configured to resize the PIP to minimize overlaying a portion of the primary image when the characteristic is present in the primary image.

8. The video display device of claim 1, wherein the PIP display characteristic is a transparency of the PIP, and wherein the processor is configured to render the PIP transparent to transparently overlay a portion of the primary image when the characteristic is present in the primary image.

9. The video display device of claim 1, wherein the PIP display characteristic is a size and a position of the PIP, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the size and the position of the PIP to minimize overlaying a portion of the primary image when the characteristic is present in the primary image.

10. The video display device of claim 1, wherein the video display device is a television.